PAGE 1: How we will learn OVERVIEW ======== Fruits are food crops that grow on trees, shrubs and climbing plants. In this sub-strand you will find out which fruits can grow in your locality, plant and care for a suitable fruit crop such as guava, tree tomato or passion fruit, and harvest ripe fruit to eat. ## Strand 2.0: Food Production Processes Sub-strand 2.2: Growing Fruits Suggested lessons: 16 ## Source • KICD Grade 4 Agriculture Curriculum Design (Revised 2024) — Strand 2.0 Food Production Processes, Sub-strand 2.2 Growing Fruits ## Learning outcomes By the end of the sub-strand, the learner should be able to: a) identify fruits that can grow the locality b) grow a fruit crop suited in the locality c) appreciate the importance of consuming fruits for nutrition ## Key inquiry questions 1. How do we grow fruits? ## Learning experiences • brainstorm and share information on different types of fruits that can grow in their locality • establish and take care of a fruit crop that can suitably grow in the locality such as woody fruit tree (for example, tree tomato and guava) and climbing fruit crops (such as passion fruit, kiwi, grapes, blackberries, raspberries) • harvest ripe fruits for consumption to appreciate their importance in the body ## Core competencies • Self-efficacy: self- confidence as learners realise the benefit of growing own fruit crops for consumption. ## Values • Responsibility: as learners take care of growing fruit crops. ## Pertinent and contemporary issues • Health promotion awareness as learners appreciate the importance of consuming fruits. ## Links to other learning areas • Learners relate growing of fruit crop as an economic activity learnt in Social Studies. LESSON 1: FRUIT CROPS AND EXAMPLES FROM KENYA ============================================= ## What you will learn • Explain what a fruit crop is. • Name fruit crops grown in Kenya, including woody trees and climbers. Curriculum outcomes: a) identify fruits that can grow the locality ## Introduction A mango, a banana and a passion fruit do not look like the same plant, yet people grow all of them for the part we eat fresh. That part is the fruit. PAGE 2: Lesson 1: Fruit crops and examples from Kenya — Fruits many Kenyan learners already know ## Notes A fruit crop is a plant grown mainly so that we can eat its fruit. The fruit is the part that develops after flowering. It often contains seeds. We eat some fruits sweet and raw, and we cook others. ### Fruits many Kenyan learners already know Mango, banana, pawpaw, avocado, orange, lemon, pineapple and watermelon are grown in different parts of the country. Guava is a common woody fruit. Passion fruit is a common climbing fruit. These plants do not all like the same weather. A fruit that fruits well in a hot, wet place may fail in a cool, dry place. ### Two growth habits in this sub-strand - Woody fruit trees and shrubs have hard stems. Examples are guava and tree tomato. Tree tomato is also called tamarillo. Its fruit is egg-shaped and red or yellow when ripe. - Climbing fruit crops have weak stems and need support. Examples are passion fruit, grapes, kiwi, blackberries and raspberries. Passion fruit is the climber most homes are likely to know. ### Fruit is not the same as every garden crop Sukuma wiki is grown for leaves. Carrots are grown for roots. Maize is grown for grain. They are food crops, but they are not the fruit crops studied here. A tomato is a fruit in science, yet in the garden we treat tree tomato, guava and passion fruit as the fruit crops to establish and care for. When you name a fruit, also say how it grows: on a woody tree, on a shrub, or on a climber. That habit tells you later whether you need a large hole, a small shrub space, or a trellis. PAGE 3: Lesson 1: Fruit crops and examples from Kenya — Example 1 ## Key words • fruit crop — a plant grown mainly for the fruit we eat • woody — having a hard stem, like a tree or shrub • climber — a plant with a weak stem that grows up a support ## Worked examples ### Example 1 Sort these into fruit crops and other food crops: guava, kale, passion fruit, carrot. Working: 1. Guava and passion fruit are grown for their fruits. 2. Kale is grown for leaves and carrot for the root. Answer: Fruit crops: guava and passion fruit. Other food crops: kale and carrot. ## Activity: Fruit naming circle You will need: Pictures or real fruits brought with the teacher's permission, Exercise book 1. Show each fruit and name it. 2. Say whether the plant is a woody tree or shrub, or a climber. 3. Make two columns: 'I have seen this growing' and 'I have only seen the fruit in a market'. 4. Share lists and keep only the names the class can agree on. ## Practice 1. What is a fruit crop? 2. Name one woody fruit and one climbing fruit. 3. Why is a carrot not called a fruit crop in this sub-strand? ## Answers to practice 1. A plant grown mainly so that we can eat its fruit. 2. Woody: guava or tree tomato. Climbing: passion fruit, grapes, kiwi, blackberry or raspberry. 3. It is grown for its root, not for a fruit. ## Summary • Fruit crops are grown for the fruit we eat. • Guava and tree tomato are woody. Passion fruit is a climber. • Not every food crop is a fruit crop. PAGE 4: Lesson 2: Fruits that can grow in your locality — Questions to ask LESSON 2: FRUITS THAT CAN GROW IN YOUR LOCALITY =============================================== ## What you will learn • Find out which fruits grow well where you live. • Match a fruit to the conditions it needs. Curriculum outcomes: a) identify fruits that can grow the locality ## Introduction A fruit on a market stall may have travelled a long way. The fruit to plant at school is the one that can grow in the soil and weather of your own locality. ## Notes Your locality means the place around your home and school: how hot or cool it is, how much rain falls, and whether the soil holds water or dries quickly. Fruits that already grow well in neighbours' gardens are the best guide. ### Questions to ask - Which fruit trees are already bearing near the school? - Does the place stay cool for much of the year, or is it hot? - Is water available in the dry months? - Is there space for a tree, or only space for a climber on a fence? PAGE 5: Lesson 2: Fruits that can grow in your locality — A simple match ### A simple match - Guava tolerates a wide range of warm conditions and is a good first woody fruit in many school gardens. It still needs sun and water when it is young. - Tree tomato prefers cool, moist places. It dislikes waterlogged soil and very hot, dry lowlands. If nobody nearby grows it, ask why before you plant a whole row. - Passion fruit is a climber. Purple passion fruit is suited to cooler places. Yellow passion fruit is suited to warmer places. Both need a trellis or a strong fence. - Grapes, kiwi, blackberries and raspberries are climbers for cool localities. Do not plant them only because the name is in a book if the local weather is hot and dry. - Mango and pawpaw like warmth. Avocado needs space and well-drained soil. Bananas need plenty of water and manure. Plant these only where people around you already succeed with them. ### Choose one crop to grow The class should choose one fruit suited to the locality, not five. A single well-cared-for guava, tree tomato or passion fruit teaches the skill. Write the choice and the reasons: weather, space, water and local examples. ## Key words • locality — the area around your home and school • suited — able to grow well in a particular place ## Worked examples ### Example 1 A school is hot and dry, with no tree tomato growing anywhere nearby, but guava trees in the compound fruit every year. Which woody fruit should the class plant first? Working: 1. Tree tomato prefers cool, moist places. 2. Guava is already succeeding in that compound. Answer: Guava PAGE 6: Lesson 3: Guava, a woody fruit tree — How a guava is started ## Activity: Local fruit walk You will need: Exercise book, Permission to walk the school compound or a nearby garden 1. With your teacher, walk and list fruit plants that are actually growing. 2. Note which are woody and which are climbing, and whether they have flowers or fruit. 3. Discuss water, space and how hot or cool the place is. 4. As a class, choose one fruit crop to establish and write three reasons it suits your locality. ## Practice 1. What is the best evidence that a fruit can grow in your locality? 2. Why might tree tomato fail in a very hot, dry place? 3. Name two things to check before choosing a fruit crop. ## Answers to practice 1. Healthy plants of that fruit already growing and fruiting nearby. 2. It prefers cool, moist conditions. 3. Any two: weather, rainfall or water, space, soil drainage, whether neighbours grow it successfully. ## Summary • Choose fruits that already succeed in your locality. • Guava suits many warm gardens. Tree tomato suits cool, moist places. • Climbers such as passion fruit need support as well as the right weather. LESSON 3: GUAVA, A WOODY FRUIT TREE =================================== ## What you will learn • Describe how a guava tree grows. • Explain how to start and care for a young guava. Curriculum outcomes: a) identify fruits that can grow the locality; b) grow a fruit crop suited in the locality ## Introduction A ripe guava smells sweet before you cut it. The tree that bears it is tough, woody and common in many compounds, which makes it a good fruit for a school to grow. ## Notes Guava is a woody fruit tree. The leaves are oval and a little rough. The flowers are white. The fruit is round or pear-shaped. The skin turns light green or yellow as it ripens, and the flesh may be white or pink with many small seeds. ### How a guava is started A guava can be grown from seed, but a seedling from a nursery is faster and more reliable for a school. Some nursery plants are raised from cuttings or by budding so they stay true to a good parent tree. Plant the seedling in a sunny place with enough space for the branches to spread. Do not squeeze it against a wall or under a dense shade tree. PAGE 7: Lesson 3: Guava, a woody fruit tree — What the young tree needs ### What the young tree needs - A hole wider than the container it came in, so the roots can spread - Topsoil mixed with compost in the hole - Watering in dry weather, especially in the first year - Mulch to keep the soil moist, kept a little away from the stem - Weeding, so grass does not choke the young tree A guava grown from seed may take a few years to fruit. That is normal. While you wait, the class still practises watering, weeding and watching for pests. ### Pests and simple care Fruit flies may sting young fruits, and the fruit then rots inside. Collect fallen fruits and bury them so the flies do not breed in them. Do not eat fruit that is full of maggots. Birds may peck ripe fruit. Harvesting on time reduces that loss. Guava fruit is rich in vitamin C. Washing a ripe guava and eating it is a direct way to use what you have grown. ## Key words • nursery seedling — a young plant raised for transplanting into the garden • fruit fly — a small fly that lays eggs in fruit, causing it to rot • vitamin C — a nutrient in fruits such as guava that helps the body stay healthy ## Worked examples ### Example 1 Fallen guavas are left under the tree and the next fruits are full of maggots. What should the class do with fallen fruit? Working: 1. Fruit flies breed in fallen fruit. 2. The fallen fruit should be collected and buried, not left under the tree. Answer: Collect and bury the fallen guavas. PAGE 8: Lesson 4: Tree tomato for cooler places — Where it grows ## Activity: Study a guava tree You will need: A guava tree in the compound or clear pictures, Exercise book 1. Look at the woody stem, leaves, and any flowers or fruits. 2. Describe the colour and shape of a young fruit and a ripe fruit. 3. Check the ground under the tree for fallen fruit and discuss what should be done with it. 4. If the class chose guava, mark a sunny planting site with enough space for the branches. ## Practice 1. Is guava a woody fruit or a climbing fruit? 2. Give two care tasks for a young guava. 3. Why bury fallen guavas instead of leaving them under the tree? ## Answers to practice 1. A woody fruit tree. 2. Any two: watering, mulching, weeding, adding compost, collecting fallen fruit. 3. Fruit flies breed in fallen fruit and then spoil the next crop. ## Summary • Guava is a woody fruit tree that suits many school gardens. • Plant a seedling in the sun, with compost, water and mulch. • Bury fallen fruit to reduce fruit flies. LESSON 4: TREE TOMATO FOR COOLER PLACES ======================================= ## What you will learn • Describe a tree tomato plant and its fruit. • Explain the conditions and care a tree tomato needs. Curriculum outcomes: a) identify fruits that can grow the locality; b) grow a fruit crop suited in the locality ## Introduction Tree tomato fruit looks a little like an egg hanging on a shrub. The plant is woody, but it is not a huge forest tree. In a cool, moist locality it can become a useful fruit crop. ## Notes Tree tomato, or tamarillo, is a woody fruit plant. It grows as a large shrub or small tree with a soft woody trunk. The leaves are large. The fruit hangs on stalks, green at first, then red, orange or yellow when ripe. The flesh is tangy and is eaten fresh or cooked. ### Where it grows Tree tomato likes cool, moist weather and deep soil that drains well. Water standing at the roots rots the plant. Strong wind breaks the soft branches, so a sheltered spot is better than an open, windy ridge. If your locality is hot and dry and nobody nearby grows tree tomato, choose guava or another local fruit instead. PAGE 9: Lesson 4: Tree tomato for cooler places — Example 1 ### Establishing it Start with a healthy seedling, or with seed sown in a pot and later planted out when the plant is sturdy. Dig a hole that lets the roots spread, mix compost with the topsoil, and plant at the same depth the seedling was growing before. Water it in. A short stake can stop a young plant rocking in the wind. Space plants so their leaves do not stay wet and crowded. ### Care Water in dry spells. Mulch to keep moisture. Add compost around the plant, not against the bark. Remove broken or dead shoots with a clean cut. The plant often starts fruiting within one to two years, which is sooner than many larger fruit trees. That makes it exciting to grow where the climate suits it. Ripe fruit pulls off with a gentle twist when it is fully coloured and slightly soft. Wash it before eating. Unripe green fruit is not ready. ## Key words • tree tomato — a woody fruit shrub, also called tamarillo, grown in cool moist places • drainage — the way extra water moves out of the soil • sheltered — protected from strong wind ## Worked examples ### Example 1 A tree tomato is planted in a hole that stays full of water after rain. The leaves yellow and the plant wilts. What is the problem? Working: 1. Tree tomato roots need soil that drains. 2. Water standing in the hole rots the roots. Answer: The soil is waterlogged. The plant needs a well-drained site. ## Activity: Tree tomato or not? You will need: Pictures of tree tomato plants and fruit, Notes from the local fruit walk 1. Describe the plant, the fruit colour and the woody stem. 2. Compare your locality with the conditions tree tomato needs: cool, moist and well drained. 3. Decide whether it is a suitable fruit for the school or whether another fruit is a better choice. 4. If it is suitable, list three care tasks for the first month after planting. PAGE 10: Lesson 5: Climbing fruits and their supports ## Practice 1. What is another name for tree tomato? 2. Give two conditions tree tomato prefers. 3. How can you tell a tree tomato fruit is ready to pick? ## Answers to practice 1. Tamarillo. 2. Cool, moist weather and well-drained soil. Shelter from strong wind is also correct. 3. It is fully coloured, red, orange or yellow, and slightly soft, and it twists off easily. ## Summary • Tree tomato is a woody fruit for cool, moist, well-drained places. • Plant a seedling with compost, water it, and shelter it from wind. • Pick fruit when it is fully coloured and slightly soft. LESSON 5: CLIMBING FRUITS AND THEIR SUPPORTS ============================================ ## What you will learn • Name climbing fruit crops and the support each one needs. • Explain how to train a passion fruit onto a trellis. Curriculum outcomes: a) identify fruits that can grow the locality; b) grow a fruit crop suited in the locality ## Introduction A passion fruit stem cannot hold itself up the way a guava trunk can. Without a fence, poles or a trellis, the vine sprawls on the soil and the fruit rots. ## Notes Climbing fruit crops in this sub-strand include passion fruit, grapes, kiwi, blackberries and raspberries. They have weak or scrambling stems. A support keeps the leaves in the sun, keeps the fruit off the wet ground, and makes harvesting easier. PAGE 11: Lesson 5: Climbing fruits and their supports — Other climbers ### Passion fruit Passion fruit is the climber to learn first. The vine has tendrils that coil around a wire. Purple types suit cooler localities. Yellow types suit warmer localities. The flowers are showy, and the ripe fruit is wrinkled and aromatic. A seedling or a cutting can be planted at the base of a strong support. A simple trellis is made of two strong posts and two or three horizontal wires, high enough that people can walk under the fruiting curtain. An existing strong fence can serve if the owner agrees. Do not use a flimsy stick that will fall once the vine is heavy. ### Training the vine Plant on the sunny side of the trellis. Place a thin stake from the ground to the wire. Tie the young shoot loosely to the stake so the stem is not cut. When the shoot reaches the top wire, pinch the tip so side shoots spread along the wires. Those side shoots carry the fruit. Keep removing shoots that trail on the ground. ### Other climbers Grapes are trained on a trellis and need yearly pruning once they are established. Kiwi, blackberries and raspberries also need wires or a fence and a cool locality. If those fruits do not grow near your school, study them from pictures and plant passion fruit or a woody fruit that does grow locally. A climber without a support is only half planted. Put the trellis in before or at the same time as the plant, not after the vine is already in a tangle. [DIAGRAM] TYPE: svg ALT: Passion fruit is trained on posts and wires so the fruit hangs off the ground PAYLOAD: CAPTION: Passion fruit is trained on posts and wires so the fruit hangs off the ground [/DIAGRAM] PAGE 12: Lesson 5: Climbing fruits and their supports — Answers to practice ## Key words • trellis — a frame of posts and wires that supports a climbing plant • tendril — a thin curling part of a vine that holds onto a support • train — to tie and guide a plant so it grows in the shape you want ## Worked examples ### Example 1 Passion fruit was planted in open soil with no stake or wire. The stems are lying on the ground and the fruits are rotting. What was left out? Working: 1. Passion fruit is a climber. 2. It needs a trellis or fence so the fruit is off the soil. Answer: A support such as a trellis or a strong fence. ## Activity: Plan a passion fruit trellis You will need: String, Sticks or a sketchbook, Pictures of passion fruit on a trellis 1. Look at how a passion vine uses tendrils to hold a wire. 2. Sketch two posts and horizontal wires, and mark where the seedling will be planted. 3. Discuss why the support must be strong before the vine grows heavy. 4. If a fence in the school garden is suitable, ask the teacher whether a passion fruit may be trained on it. ## Practice 1. Name three climbing fruit crops. 2. Why does passion fruit need a trellis? 3. What should you do when the passion shoot reaches the top wire? ## Answers to practice 1. Any three: passion fruit, grapes, kiwi, blackberries, raspberries. 2. Its stem is weak. A trellis holds the vine up so leaves get light and fruit does not rot on the soil. 3. Pinch the tip so side shoots grow along the wires. ## Summary • Climbers need a strong support before they become heavy. • Passion fruit is trained on a trellis or fence. • Grapes, kiwi, blackberries and raspberries suit cooler places. PAGE 13: Lesson 6: Planting a fruit seedling — Notes 1 LESSON 6: PLANTING A FRUIT SEEDLING =================================== ## What you will learn • Plant a fruit seedling at the right depth. • Water and mulch it on the day of planting. Curriculum outcomes: b) grow a fruit crop suited in the locality ## Introduction A seedling from a nursery is only safe once its roots are in firm, moist soil at the same depth they grew before. Planting too deep or leaving the roots exposed can undo months of growth. ## Notes Use the fruit the class chose for your locality. The planting steps are the same for a young guava, a tree tomato or a passion fruit at the foot of a trellis. ### Before planting day Water the seedling in its container. Mark the site. For a climber, the trellis or fence should already be in place. Collect compost, a jembe, mulch and water. ### The hole Dig a hole wider than the root ball and deep enough for the roots to sit without bending. Put the topsoil in one heap and the subsoil in another. Mix the topsoil with well-rotted compost. PAGE 14: Lesson 6: Planting a fruit seedling — Example 1 ### Setting the plant 1. Tip the seedling out without tearing the roots. If roots are circling the pot, ease them loose gently. 2. Place the plant so the soil mark on the stem sits level with the ground. Do not bury the stem and do not leave roots in the air. 3. Fill with the compost and topsoil mix. Firm gently with your hands so there are no air pockets. 4. Make a shallow basin around the plant to hold water. 5. Water slowly until the soil settles. 6. Spread mulch around the plant, leaving a small gap around the stem so the bark does not stay wet and rot. 7. For passion fruit, tie the shoot loosely to a stake that leads to the wire. ### After planting Shade the seedling for a few days if the sun is scorching, using a few leafy branches. Remove the shade once the plant looks perky. Write the name of the fruit and the planting date on a label. Do not pile fresh manure against the stem, and do not stamp the soil into a brick. Firm and moist is the aim. ## Key words • root ball — the roots and the soil holding them when a seedling is taken from its container • soil mark — the line on the stem showing how deep the plant was growing before • basin — a shallow ring of soil that holds water around a plant ## Worked examples ### Example 1 A guava seedling is planted so that half the stem is buried. Why is this a mistake? Working: 1. The soil mark should stay level with the ground. 2. A buried stem can rot, and the roots are then too deep. Answer: The seedling was planted too deep. The stem can rot. PAGE 15: Lesson 6: Planting a fruit seedling — Answers to practice ## Activity: Plant the class fruit You will need: Fruit seedling, Jembe, Compost, Watering can, Dry grass for mulch, Label, Trellis if the fruit is a climber 1. Water the seedling, then dig a hole wider than the root ball. 2. Mix compost with the topsoil. 3. Set the plant at the old soil mark, fill, and firm gently. 4. Water, mulch without touching the stem, and label the plant. 5. If it is a climber, tie it loosely toward the trellis. ## Practice 1. At what depth should a fruit seedling be planted? 2. Why is mulch kept a little away from the stem? 3. What should already be in place before planting passion fruit? ## Answers to practice 1. At the same depth it was growing before, with the soil mark level with the ground. 2. So the bark does not stay wet and rot. 3. A strong trellis or fence. ## Summary • Dig a wide hole and mix compost with the topsoil. • Plant at the old soil mark, firm, water and mulch. • Tie climbers loosely to a support on planting day. PAGE 16: Lesson 7: Caring for a growing fruit crop — Water LESSON 7: CARING FOR A GROWING FRUIT CROP ========================================= ## What you will learn • Water, weed, feed and protect a young fruit crop. • Keep a simple care record. Curriculum outcomes: b) grow a fruit crop suited in the locality ## Introduction Planting day is one afternoon. Fruit trees stay in the ground for years. The learners who water in a dry week and pull weeds are the ones who eventually pick fruit. ## Notes A young fruit plant is still building roots and leaves. Care in the first months decides whether it establishes. ### Water Water deeply in dry weather rather than sprinkling the leaves every hour. The soil around the roots should be moist. A basin helps the water soak in. Early morning or evening is the best time. A climber in a container or against a hot wall dries faster than a tree in open soil. ### Weeds and mulch Weeds take the water and nutrients meant for the fruit. Pull them while they are small. Keep mulch on the soil to slow drying and to stop new weeds. Top up the mulch as it rots. ### Feeding Spread well-rotted compost around the plant a few times in the year, especially at the start of the rains, and water it in. Keep compost off the stem. Compost feeds the plant and improves the soil at the same time. ### Training and cleanliness On passion fruit, keep guiding shoots along the wires and remove those that crawl on the ground. On guava and tree tomato, remove dead or broken branches with a clean cut. An adult should use the cutting tool. Pick up fallen and rotting fruit so pests do not breed. PAGE 17: Lesson 7: Caring for a growing fruit crop — Record ### Record Each week, write the date, whether you watered, what you weeded, and how the plant looks: new leaves, flowers, or pests. A record shows who did the work and helps the next class continue it. Responsibility for a fruit crop means the plant is checked even when there is no fruit to eat yet. If leaves wilt at midday but recover in the evening, the plant may simply be hot. If they stay wilted, water the roots and check that the soil is not waterlogged. ## Key words • establish — to settle and grow strongly in a new place • wilt — to droop because of lack of water or sick roots ## Worked examples ### Example 1 A class planted a guava and then left grass to grow taller than the seedling. The guava has barely grown. What care was missed? Working: 1. Grass competes for water and nutrients. 2. The grass should have been weeded and the soil mulched. Answer: Weeding and mulching were missed. PAGE 18: Lesson 7: Caring for a growing fruit crop — Answers to practice ## Activity: Weekly fruit-crop care You will need: The planted fruit crop, Watering can, Jembe or hands for weeding, Compost if due, Record sheet 1. Check the soil moisture and water if the root zone is dry. 2. Remove weeds and tidy the mulch, keeping it off the stem. 3. Train any climber shoots and pick up fallen fruit. 4. Record the date and what you did. 5. Tell the class one change you noticed in the plant. ## Practice 1. Why is deep watering better than only wetting the leaves? 2. When compost is spread around a fruit tree, why must it stay off the stem? 3. Give two tasks to write in a fruit-crop record. ## Answers to practice 1. The roots need moist soil. Wetting only the leaves does not supply the roots. 2. Compost piled on the bark keeps it wet and can cause rot. 3. Any two: date, watering, weeding, mulching, training, pests, new leaves or flowers. ## Summary • Water the roots in dry weather, weed, and renew mulch. • Feed with compost and keep fallen fruit off the ground. • A weekly record shows that the crop is being cared for. LESSON 8: HARVESTING RIPE FRUIT AND EATING IT FOR HEALTH ======================================================== ## What you will learn • Tell when a fruit is ripe and harvest it carefully. • Explain why eating fruits is important for the body. Curriculum outcomes: c) appreciate the importance of consuming fruits for nutrition ## Introduction Unripe fruit can be hard, sour and unpleasant. Overripe fruit falls and rots. The skill is to pick at the right moment and then eat the fruit clean. PAGE 19: Lesson 8: Harvesting ripe fruit and eating it for health — Signs of ripeness ## Notes ### Signs of ripeness - Guava: the skin lightens to yellow-green or yellow, the fruit smells sweet, and it gives slightly when pressed gently. - Tree tomato: the fruit is fully red, orange or yellow and slightly soft. Green fruit is left on the plant. - Passion fruit: the skin turns purple or yellow and becomes wrinkled. Ripe fruit often falls, so check under the vine. A fruit that is still smooth and green is not ready. - Banana: the fingers are full and the edges lose their sharp ridges. Mango softens and smells sweet. Pawpaw skin turns yellow. Pick by twisting gently or clipping the stalk. Do not tear the bark or pull down a whole branch. Carry fruit in a clean container, not in a dirty sack that bruises it. ### Wash and eat Wash fruit under clean water before you eat it. Dirt and dust from the garden should not go into your mouth. Peel fruits that have a tough skin. Do not eat fruit that is mouldy or full of maggots. ### Why the body needs fruits Fruits give vitamins that help the body fight illness and heal small wounds. Guava, oranges and pawpaw are useful sources of vitamin C. Fruits also give fibre, which helps us pass stool comfortably, and they give water and some energy from their natural sugars. Different colours bring a wider mix of goodness, so eat more than one kind when you can. Fruit does not replace a whole meal of staple food, but it is an important part of eating well. Growing your own fruit means the household can pick it ripe and eat it fresh, and extra fruit can be shared or sold. That is both good nutrition and a small economic activity. If your tree is still too young to fruit, practise the harvest signs on fruit from home or the market, and keep caring for the school plant until its turn comes. PAGE 20: Lesson 8: Harvesting ripe fruit and eating it for health — Example 1 ## Key words • ripe — fully grown and ready to eat • fibre — the part of plant food that helps the gut pass stool • harvest — to pick a crop when it is ready ## Worked examples ### Example 1 Two passion fruits are on the vine. One is smooth and green. The other is purple and wrinkled. Which one should be picked for eating? Working: 1. A smooth green passion fruit is unripe. 2. Purple, wrinkled passion fruit is ripe. Answer: The purple, wrinkled one. ## Activity: Ripe fruit tasting You will need: Ripe fruit that is safe to eat, Clean water for washing, Plates, A knife for the teacher 1. Sort fruit into unripe and ripe using colour, smell and feel. Do not taste the unripe fruit. 2. Wash the ripe fruit in clean water. 3. The teacher cuts and serves small pieces. 4. Discuss the taste and one way the fruit helps the body. 5. Write a sentence on why the class should keep caring for the school fruit crop until harvest. ## Practice 1. Give two signs that a guava is ripe. 2. Why should fruit be washed before eating? 3. Name two ways fruits help the body. 4. Why should mouldy fruit not be eaten? ## Answers to practice 1. Any two: skin turns yellow-green or yellow, it smells sweet, it gives slightly when pressed. 2. To remove dirt and dust from the garden. 3. Any two: they provide vitamins, fibre, water and some energy. 4. It is spoiled and can make a person ill. ## Summary • Pick fruit when colour, smell and softness show it is ripe. • Wash fruit before eating and reject mouldy or maggoty fruit. • Fruits supply vitamins, fibre, water and some energy. PAGE 21: Revision quiz REVISION QUIZ ============= Answer all the questions, then mark yourself on the Answers tab. 1. Which pair names a woody fruit and a climbing fruit? A. Guava and passion fruit B. Carrot and millet C. Kale and cabbage D. Charcoal and firewood 2. How should a class choose a fruit to plant? A. Pick the fruit with the longest name B. Choose one that already grows well in their locality C. Plant only fruits that need snow D. Choose any fruit pictured in a book, whatever the weather 3. Tree tomato grows best in which conditions? 4. Why collect and bury fallen guavas? A. To make the tree shorter B. To stop fruit flies breeding in them C. To water the tree D. To scare monkeys 5. What supports a passion fruit vine? A. A fine seedbed only B. A trellis or strong fence C. A compost heap D. A watering can 6. At what depth is a fruit seedling planted? 7. Mulch around a young fruit tree should A. be piled against the stem B. cover the leaves C. stay a little away from the stem D. be made of plastic bags only 8. Which passion fruit is ready to eat? A. Smooth and green B. Purple or yellow and wrinkled C. Still a flower D. Hard and half size 9. Why is vitamin C in fruits such as guava useful? 10. Which statement about eating fruit is correct? A. Fruit replaces every other food B. Wash ripe fruit and eat it as part of healthy meals C. Unripe green passion fruit is the sweetest D. Mouldy fruit is safe if it is washed PAGE 22: Quiz answers ANSWERS ======= 1. A. Guava and passion fruit Guava is a woody fruit tree. Passion fruit is a climber. 2. B. Choose one that already grows well in their locality A fruit suited to the local weather, water and soil is the one to grow. 3. Cool, moist places with soil that drains well. Tree tomato dislikes waterlogging and very hot, dry conditions. 4. B. To stop fruit flies breeding in them Fruit flies breed in fallen fruit and then attack the next crop. 5. B. A trellis or strong fence Passion fruit is a climber and must be trained on a strong support. 6. At the same depth it was growing in the nursery, with the soil mark level with the ground. Planting too deep can rot the stem. Planting too shallow leaves roots exposed. 7. C. stay a little away from the stem Mulch keeps moisture in the soil but should not keep the bark constantly wet. 8. B. Purple or yellow and wrinkled Ripe passion fruit changes colour and the skin wrinkles. 9. It helps the body stay healthy and heal. Fruits supply vitamins, including vitamin C, as well as fibre and water. 10. B. Wash ripe fruit and eat it as part of healthy meals Fruit is an important part of eating well. It is washed first, and spoiled fruit is rejected.